Jelly Bean now on more than half of active Android devices

We’ve got a new version of Android now available — and a new round of platform version numbers to go along with it. As you’d expect, there are no Android 4.4 KitKat numbers for the week leading into Nov. 1 — and remember that Android 4.4 being “available” as downloadable code is different than actually being on devices — so we’ll have to wait a little bit for it to show results.

But for now, Android 4.1-4.3 Jelly Bean is at 52.1 percent of all active devices. That’s up from 48.6 percent a month ago. Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0.3-4.0.4) dropped a tad to 19.8 percent. The much-maligned Android 3.0 Honeycomb is at a mere 0.1 percent. Android 2.3.x Gingerbread is down slightly to 26.3 percent, and Android 2.2 Froyo is hanging on at 1.7 percent.

Those numbers are from devices that use the Google Play Store app, and so they don’t include things like the Amazon Kindle, to say nothing of the multitudes of other devices that don’t use Google services.

The big challenge will be to get those Gingerbread numbers lower. Eradication would be nice, but that’s not overly realistic.

One of the major reasons I decided to go with the Nexus when I left the iPhone. Being up to date is something that I really like. So I will be a Nexus guy from here on out until they figure out the fragmentation riddle. Motorola is looking to be a good second option for me nowadays. I'm interested in seeing how quickly the Moto X gets updated.

Well, the number of future users of 4.4 would be higher and there would be less fragmentation if Google hadn't taken the bad decision to not give this update to Galaxy Nexus which is still a very capable device. I believe updates for Nexus devices should be issued for at least three years after the end of availability of the device from google and not 18 months after the announcement of the device which is a shame. I bought my Galaxy Nexus exactly a year ago for 450 euros sim free. Now I am left behind and I can not afford to buy a Nexus 5 which will cost above 500 euros when it arrives in my country.

It sounds like the issue with the Galaxy Nexus isn't its capability. The chip set manufacturer has not been in the mobile processor business for some time now and likely isn't supporting its products any longer.

Actually there are still a lot of Gingerbread phones being sold by prepaid providers including Verizon's own prepaid line and Straight Talk. Most of the others I've seen have only upgraded to a modern OS within the last 6 months to a year.

That has nothing to do with Google. Your issue is with the OEM/carrier for the updates to your phone. Google releases the code but your OEM: either Samsung, HTC, Lg, etc and the carriers drags their feet with those updates. If you want to stay up to date, get a Nexus device and your problems with updates will be solved.

Yup, like my mom for example, has an android device but when I asked if she downloaded any apps she just says no. I guess its also an age thing. My mom went from a very very basic flip phone (which worked for her just fine) to an Android phone well when you don't really know what it can do or don't really have any need for it you're just going to use the basics of it and that's it.

I can't tell you how many of my customers conme in with issues with their phones and when I start poking around I see that they have never even signed into Google. They are just using the basic functions of the phone and the preinstalled versions of things like Facebook. A lot of people don't understand the need for a Google account on their phones or give up when they find they can't usr 1234 or Password for their password.

Hard to imagine that they never access the Play Store. My phone is constantly downloading updates to the apps I have installed. I suppose I gave it permission to do that at some point, but assuming that permission is the path of least resistance, and that even your mom's phone has *some* apps downloaded, the thing's probably at least checking in now and then.

Go Go Android 4.3 and kitkat it is a great operating system, and the once stable ios is proving to be not so.

Many Many great devices launched this year- The Note 3 being the stand out one for me it is truely sublime (in my own personal opinion) The Galaxy S4, The G2, Moto X, Htc One, Xperia Z, Z1, Z ultra, Galaxy Mega 5.8" and 6.3", Htc One Max, should i mention Apple hmm ok the 5s oh and the freshly announced Nexus 5.

Its been a great year in the tech world, and next year is looking to be another year that will have us all going wow im sure. With the rumours of the S5 hmm that sure is going to be interesting.

Im stuck on a two year contract so will be 2015 before my next upgrade. But i will be following intently to see what next year brings.

Nah im going to leave the Mega in, its not a brilliant phone but i obviously own the Mega and its screen is clear n crisp but by no means on par with the rest nor on specs but that large screen yeh i like it because its different from the rest.

I have to say: KitKat 4.4 is by far the smoothest and UI change we have seen on Android yet. A much needed update to the existing line and a good way to merge all older devices under one OS. Fragmentation on Android should never again be an subject of conversation.

Yup Apple used to mean Stability not so now and Android is proving to be just that and Kitkat from what i have read should be Both stable and smooth- question is it looking ahead and supporting the 64bit chips that will no doupt be in all Next years phones? Im sure that is a yes.

Its certainly looking that way- Even if they can keep it to a two tier system eg 4.3 Jelly bean and Kitkat but i think going by what kitkat is about and being able to run on 512mb of ram thats what Google is intent on Doing one unified system all neat and tidy eh lol

Anyone expecting fragmentation to go away should give up. Nobody's going to update those old devices. Some people can't afford to run new devices. KitKat will be run on even more devices that never get a single OTA.

KitKat being able to run on lower sprced devices should discourage OEMs from launching new phoned on ancient Android versions but its not going to get any significant amount of older devices running an old OS that may have skipped Jellybean due to specs. There may be a few but overall those devices are either too old or were sold with too low a margin for it to make any financial sense.

Just bought my N5 from the Play Store now, currently using my N4 waiting for the update in a week or two, but next to me I have 2 useless Samsung Droid Charge phones, permanently stuck on Gingerbread, when they should have been updated to ICS.

Oh well, I learned my lesson now, I will never trust OEMs and Carriers again. NEXUS OR BUST!

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